Due to this unprecedented pandemic all of us are experiencing 2020 very differently from what our 2020 vision may have been. Many have had their careers, retirements, travel plans, and just day to day living disrupted that may cause us to lose our vision for what we want in our encore life, or even wonder if we will ever get there. It is OK and quite normal to experience some levels of fear over the unknown (episode 24), grief over loss of loved ones, loss of health, loss of jobs or careers, and loss of what may have been plans and dreams disrupted. I recently listened to a special Easter message by Rick Warren titled “Expecting a Resurrection When Life Falls Apart”. I found his explanation of the normal emotions people go through starting with fear, then grief, then ultimately transforming to joy, relating it through the experiences of Jesus’s disciples and how we will experience this many times through our life to be extremely insightful. We must have hope to get through the hard things, and how we respond to these emotions will determine how we move through these emotions to a point of having hope again for the joy that we look forward to once we move through major disruptions and tragedies that we are going to face in life. I encourage everyone to listen to this message by Rick Warren.
In this episode we talk with Fred and Becky, both who retired within the last few years from a lengthy career with the same school system that my wife and I recently retired from. Becky retired twice from the system, while Fred spent some time in the department of corrections as an educator before moving to a public school system. You will also get to meet my wife Kelli as she discusses our retirement and encore lives from her perspective.
Topics that were discussed in this episode include:
Find new identity/purpose.
Selling house/downsizing/lifestyle transition to affordable desirable.
Find purpose to help and do more for others.
More reach out/be the Church.
Roadblocks have been caring for parents.
Caring for Grandchildren.
Action Item: Your action item for this week is a repeat of the last two weeks which is to check out the resources that I have provided or others that you know of and plan your next step to get you closer to where you need to be to live your encore life. If you have done this in the previous 2 weeks, then plan what your 2nd or 3rd steps may need to be.
Isaiah 61:3 To those who have sorrow in Zion I will give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes. I will give them the oil of joy instead of sorrow, and a spirit of praise instead of a spirit of no hope. Then they will be called oaks that are right with God, planted by the Lord, that He may be honored.
Please check out the show notes for resources that I have included during this entire series
Resources:
Expecting a Resurrection When Life Falls Apart: Rick Warren
Roger Whitney: Rock Your Retirement
Planning for Retirement: AARP
48 Days Resources: Dan Miller
Bible Gateway
Contact Craig
